Okay, it's your last year of school (I am assuming you're in a dance program) or you're looking for a career change. You want to create a dance company, but you've never done the whole thing yourself. What questions would you find yourself looking to ask others? What chapters or information in a book would you want to have at your finger tips to help?

I'm assuming that this individual is the best choreographer since Balanchine and has already done arty stuff like selecting dancers, music etc.<P>Book chapters<P>1. Grant funders and how to persuade them to give you money.<P>2. Venue and festival managers and how to convince them to include you.<P>3. Simple book keeping, tax, health and safety etc.<P>4. Idiot's guide to management<P>5. How to make critics love you.<P>6. How to have an effective Board.<P>7. Job opportunities for those trying to run a dance company at the same time.<P>8. Job opportunities for those who have had enough of starving to death for their Art.<P>Actually if he/she is really the best choreographer since Balanchine (not just one who thinks he/she is, like everyone else), then there should be a 1 chapter book;<P>1. How to find a Lincoln Kirstein clone.

Actually Dance UK has various publications which are helpful in a UK context:<P>Go to this page and select 'Administration and management'. This site only works in Explorer at the moment.<BR> <A HREF="http://www.danceuk.org/publications/pubs.asp" TARGET=_blank>http://www.danceuk.org/publications/pubs.asp</A> <P>A bit tangentially, 'The Dancers' Survival Guide' has lots of useful info.<p>[This message has been edited by Stuart Sweeney (edited January 23, 2001).]

I would think some other chapters could be or include answers to these questions:<P>What is your Plan?<P>Why should YOU start a dance company?<P>WHERE should you start a dance company and how will you fit into the existing dance community?

I don't think that book has been written (I NEED THAT BOOK!). The sage person gathers as much information from as many different sources as they can (as demonstrated by the UK list that Stuart mentioned) and the lucky person snags an administrator, at least p/t to help them wade through applications for grants, foundation awards, etc. I've seen some talented choreographers fall by the wayside who couldn't battle through the business side of company management and some not-so-talented remain somewhat solvent. It's definitely tricky.

The Cultural Arts Council of Houston/Harris County has a nifty little book on how to start an arts organization.<P>see <A HREF="http://www.cachh.org/art.starts.html" TARGET=_blank>http://www.cachh.org/art.starts.html</A> <P>------------------<BR>Jeffrey E. Salzberg, Lighting Designer<BR>This Day in Arts History: <A HREF="http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg/arthist.htm" TARGET=_blank>http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg/arthist.htm</A><BR>Online portfolio: <A HREF="http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg" TARGET=_blank>http://www.suncoast.quik.com/salzberg</A> <P><BR><p>[This message has been edited by salzberg (edited January 25, 2001).]

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